Monthly Archives: October 2009

Do Style Points Matter?

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As most of you know by now I am a huge Gator football fan, and last week the Gators just barely beat the Arkansas Razorbacks. Now, when I say barely, I mean the game could have gone either way, but fortunately for the Gators they pulled off the victory. With the victory being so ugly everyone is talking about how Florida is not really good and they are just barely winning their games. Of course, this drives me crazy because regardless if they won in style they still won the game. I am sorry, but a W in the win column is still a W!

Alright, you may be asking what does this have to do with me being a personal trainer or fitness professional. Everything! I know too many personal trainers that try to get flashy and fancy with prospects and clients. Because of this behavior I see all too often personal trainers either lose the sale or lose the client. Remember, when it comes to closing a sale or keeping a personal training client for a long time you have to understand that the way to win is by being consistent and determined to do your best. If you stick to the fundamentals of solid training and showing the client that you have their best interest in mind then you will win 9 out of 10 times. So, the next time someone says, “well you did not win with style.” You tell them I still won!

Are You Managing the Game?

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Last weekend the Florida Gators beat LSU in what most people are calling an ugly win for the University of Florida. According to most of the pundits and my friends the game was boring to watch and the common phrase I heard was all Florida di was manage the game. Here is the point I want to make, regardless of how exciting or flashy the Gators were on Sat night they won the game and in the end accomplished their goal. As for managing the game that is the key to success in business and life. Reflecting back on my life and career I would have to say that I have  “managed the game” because the success I have had has come from being conservative with calculated risk. I am no flashy celebrity trainer like Bob and Gillian from the “Biggest Loser” but I am a disciplined hard worker that has managed to be successful in business in life. Okay, so here is what you need to do to manage your “game” or carreer as a fitness professional. 

I. Understand that your life and career is a journey, not a race! Steady, daily improvement will add up to numerous success stories and accomplishments throughout your career

II. Continue learning! I have said this so many times I am beating it to death but in order to manage the game properly you need to keep improving your skills and learning new ones. Times are changing and you need to be poised to capitalize on new technologies and new information. 

III. Build trust! If you are going to be a leader or person off influence, which every fitness professional is, then you need to have those people that follow you have trust in what you say and do!

IV. Learn to adapt! You need to be like a chameleon. Adapt to your current surroundings. If the economy is sagging you need to figure out how to adapt to lower consumer spending. Learning to adapt to your surroundings is one of the biggest keys to managing your career.

 

These four tips are just a few ways that you can manage your career and life. Remember, there will be times that day to day activities seem boring but the steady, conservative, calculated risk approach will get you the success you deserve and want. On a final note, I can tell you that if the Florida Gators win the rest of their games by being boring and “managing the game” I know that I will be extremely happy Gator fan with another National Championship to our trophy case.

Help make a difference in health care reform

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The other day I wrote a blog post,“It does not matter what Health Care Bill gets passed because they are forgetting an important component”, and today I just received this email from someone from IHRSA asking me as a former supporter and lobbyist for the WHIP ACT to write again to my Congressional leaders. Coincidence? At first I was like hmmm but after thinking about it there has not been a single piece of legislation in the past decade that means so much to this country and that is why everyone’s voice makes a difference. Please see the letter and follow the links to write to your Congressional leaders and ask them to support the WHIP ACT. 

Coach Dave

 

Dear David:

As a past attendee of IHRSA’s Legislative Summit, you’ve spoken to your members of Congress or their staff. You know that it is your voice, more than the voices of the paid lobbyist, they want to hear from and listen to.  I’m emailing now to ask you to exercise that power and reach out once more and ask for their support

As you know during the last ten months, IHRSA has been actively working to include exercise as prevention as a part of health care reform, including passage of the Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act and the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. 

Right now, we need your help to generate support for efforts to introduce the WHIP Act as a floor amendment when health care reform is voted on in the Senate.  We know that the lead sponsor of the WHIP Act, Senator John Cornyn, with support from Senator Tom Harkin,  intends to introduce the bill as a floor amendment. To make sure that happens, we need your help to generate support for the WHIP Act from the other members of the Senate.  

As someone that has previously lobbied your Senators for support of the WHIP Act, would you be willing to reach out again now? This may be the most crucial time. You can use the link at the bottom of the email to send them an email message or click here to find their Capitol Office phone numbers (talking points available online).

Thank you again for your continued support of our federal health promotion efforts. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

Sincerely,
Helen
Helen Durkin, J.D.
Executive VP, Public Policy
had@ihrsa.org

It does not matter what Health Care Bill gets passed because they are forgetting an important component!

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I have one word that hardly ever gets mentioned when politicians talk about “Health Care Reform” and that is prevention. Now, I do not agree at all with President Barack Obama’s proposal and the democrats push for a public plan, but I will say that when they mention prevention being a  big part of the reform they get my attention. You see, I strongly believe that if we are ever going to change the “Health Care” in America then we need to change what our primary mission and message should be. Instead of each political party worrying about their special interest groups we need to make the message and mission to be all about prevention. 

 Our leaders talk about the fact that the issue of health reform has been being talked about for years and nothing has been done. Well, I am sorry to inform them but there has been good legislation (WHIP Act and PHIT Act) that has been introduced by IHRSA (International Health Racquet and Sport Association) and has had members of both parties sign on to the bill but the frustrating part is every time it is introduced it gets stripped out. You have to be kidding me. These pieces of legislation will help start us on a path to making exercise a key component in the changing of our health in America, so don’t me that nothing has been done because if these two bills would have been passed we would be a lot further along in putting prevention as a key reform element.

Also, let me make this clear, prevention is not a Democrat or Republican issue, prevention is something that every American can get on board with and if Americans are concerned about their health then they need to change their mindset and think of prevention as the key in this whole Health Care debate.

Finally, my take home point for you as a  fitness professional is that you need to learn more about the two legislative bills I mentioned earlier and write your congressmen and tell them to support it. Also, if you are looking to get more personal training clients you need to create relationships with physicians. I have started to see a shift in the medical industry and have noticed doctors prescribing exercise as a way to treat some of these preventable diseases. Start figuring out how you can make whatever Health Care Bill comes out of Congress, profitable for your business. Remember, I do not care what Health Care Bill they pass, real change is going to come from fitness professionals providing lifestyle changes for Americans.

Stay the path!

Coach Dave